North, East people enjoying fruits of peace - Sharma

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma yesterday said the people of the North and East are enjoying the fruits of peace after the end of a protracted conflict.

The Secretary General said he himself witnessed how people in the North and the East are living happily after terrorism was wiped out from the country, during his visit to that area.

Sharma made these remarks when he called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday.

The visiting Secretary General thanked the President and the government for creating an environment for the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which would be held in Colombo next year.

Their discussion focused on the theme of the 2013 CHOGM summit. It was held at the meeting that the theme of the summit should be based on development of more avenues for youths to prosper. External Affairs Minister Prof G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Dr. Karunathilake Amunugama were also present.

A meeting between First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and wife of Commonwealth Secretary General Babli Sharma also took place.